1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of physical exercise equipment.
2. Related Art
Physical exercise has many benefits. For a complete and well rounded exercise program many believe each muscle must be exercised, often called isolating on that muscle. Numerous exercises have been developed which isolate each muscle and muscle group. A pervasive aspect of all exercise is the weight bar or the resistance applied to the muscle. This invention is directed to an improved weight bar useful in physical exercise.
The development of the human bicep is an important part of the art of body building, particularly to the novice. The exercise normally practiced for building the biceps involves “curling”. The curling exercise is performed by grasping a weighted bar with each hand and curling the forearm upwardly and back toward the upper arms. Importantly, it is often through isolating on a particular muscle or muscle group, that proper exercise of the muscle or muscle group is accomplished.
The several variations of the press, including military, bench, power and so on, represent exercises for the deltoid, triceps, pectorals and other minor muscles involved in shoulder movement. The bench press is a well known exercise involving laying on ones back, grasping the weight bar with both hands and lowering the bar towards the chest, followed by extending the arms away from the chest. Another type of press is performed in a sitting position with the arms straight over the head, holding the weight bar with both hands. The exercise involves bending at the elbow and lowering the bar to about the chest level and then raising the bar back to full extension of the arms.
The development of the leg through the lunge and deep-knee type exercise are likewise important aspects of exercising the muscle groups of the leg.
Various types of weightlifting apparatuses have been proposed in the past to increase the effectiveness of the these and related exercises. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,370 to Bailey et al. The Bailey device consists of an essentially straight bar having conventional weights mounted on the opposite extremities thereof. A pair of spaced apart rings are secured to the bar, intermediate the extremities thereof. Handles are rotatably mounted within the rings to allow turning of the wrists during the curl. It is well known that twisting of the wrists during a curl provides increased exercise of the forearms as well as additional development of the biceps.
The Bailey device possesses a number of shortcomings, however, which have prevented its acceptance and use by body builders. One of the disadvantages of this device relates to the fact that the handles are rotatably mounted within the rings. This construction is rather unstable and presents the opportunity for fingers and items of clothing to become pinched between the rollers which mounts the handles on the rings. The rings themselves are quite heavy and rather bulky in order to provide sufficient strength to allow the weights to be mounted in cantilever fashion directly thereon. In fact, it has been found that this construction is rather weak because of the fact that the various sections of the bar must be secured to the rings by a series of welds which are constant shear bearing.
Additional exercise devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,300, to Hightower which discloses a rotating grip barbell device.
A disadvantage of the Bailey and Hightower devices lies in the fact that the handles may be turned independently. This arrangement tends to promote uneven development of the muscles since the handles associated with the stronger arm may turn at a different rate or magnitude than the rings associated with the weaker arm. The assumed goal, which was neither stated nor accomplished was to provide a more natural gripping orientation during exercise.
Further disadvantages of exercise devices in the art relate to awkward hand positioning and substantial discomfort caused by the bar resting on the back or shoulders during leg exercises.
There is need, therefore, for an improved exercise device directed to these and other issues.